davidgale

david gale studios
fine art and ideology since 1978

What we do with our hands is, mostly, type, poke, tap, or swipe.

The manipulation of physical things seems to have receded, replaced by good simulations or visualizations, which may satisfy the eye and the mind but leave us feeling strangely amputated. We’re parched for the handling of actual stuff, deprived of the knowledge of things through their intimate physical properties. The haptic has largely given way to the optic.

Craft | A Return to the Hand | Metropolis Magazine

bashford:

plan.b by Oriko DesignBüro is a digital map of a city translated into a tactile experience, allowing a blind user to get information about the immediate environment. Also, by pushing down the buttons, various acoustic information adds further detail to what’s around.
(via roomthily / okgreat)

emergentfutures:

A Touch Screen with Texture
Electrovibration could make for a better sensory experience on a smooth touch surface.

Researchers at McGill University in Montreal, Canada have developed floor tiles that can simulate the look, sound and feel of snow, grass or pebbles underfoot. Such a tool could perhaps be used for augmented reality applications, tele-presence, training, rehabilitation or even as virtual foot controllers.
The modular “haptic” floor tiling system is made up of a deformable plate suspended on a platform. Between the plate and platform are sensors that detect forces from the user’s foot. And the plate can give off vibrations that mimic the feeling of stepping on different materials. A top-down projection and speakers add visual and audio feedback.
via Technology Review

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